This invention relates to training pants for infants which are adapted to be washed and reused.
Japanese Patent Application Disclosure Gazette (Kokai) No. Hei5-59601 discloses training pants for infants comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed between these two sheets. A wetness retaining sheet is intermittently bonded to an upper surface of the topsheet in its middle zone. This wetness retaining sheet is partially raised with respect to the topsheet.
Japanese Patent Application Disclosure Gazette (Kokai) No. Hei5-59602 discloses training pants for infant comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet made of a nonwoven fabric, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed between these two sheets. The topsheet is provided in its middle zone with wetness sensing means. The wetness sensing means comprise an upper layer of nonwoven fabric being relatively high in its fiber density and a lower layer of nonwoven fabric being relatively low in its fiber density. A fiber density of the topsheet is higher than the fiber density of the lower layer and a wetting property of the wetness sensing means is higher than a wetting property of the topsheet.
In both cases as have been identified above, the liquid-absorbent core comprises a mixture of fluff pulp fibers, thermoplastic crimped fibers and discrete particles of a water insoluble hydrogel.
The training pants according to the two examples of prior art are unwashable and can not be reused once they have been used. This is for the reason that the absorbent core of fluff pulp fibers are significantly deformed and the hydrogel is liable to be gel-blocked upon water absorption whether it is due to urine-absorption or washing. The training pants of prior art as have been described are characterized by a relatively high urine-absorprition capacity. From an economical viewpoint also, it will be disadvangeously wasteful to use them for a long period continuously even after an infant has been adequately trained and an amount of urine discharged by the infant directly on the training pants has considerably decreased.